The Spurious
by Beastman
Summary: The Titans run accross a mysterious young man calling himself "Spurious" The claims he makes will have huge implications for one of the team!
1. Hope

The Spurious Ch. 1 Hope  
  
"Its over! We gave it all we have!"  
  
"There is a way, there has to be a way!"  
  
His eyes opened reluctantly. He groaned in pain and lethargy, not wanting to see the world before him. He closed his eyes again, and visions passed before them. A world in ruin, crimson skies, and her. Her face beckoned to him, urging him to go on, to fulfill his mission. He had to do this, for her.  
  
"She'll help us, they all will. They must!"  
  
He wandered out to the street. "I need something to get their attention, but how?" In the distance, and alarm rang into the night. "Perfect," he smirked.  
  
***  
  
Raven silently groaned to herself as she awoke from her sleep. Cyborg's and Beast Boy's antics were always a nuisance, but today it was even worse. Water balloons crisscrossed every room as pies collided with them, and noise of laughter pierced her ears at every turn. "3:00 A.M., April 1st. A whole day of this, to look forward to." she groaned. Finally, she reached her room, her cup of herbal tea intact. She sat down on her bed, picked up a book, and started reading.  
  
"Those boys are such a nuisance," she said to herself. Normally she didn't talk to herself, she guessed Cyborg and Beast Boy really were driving her crazy. She then realized she left her bookmark outside, and ventured out to retrieve it.  
  
She passed by the large window, were Robin and Starfire were hanging out, talking. A pang of jealousy ran through her. She shook her head to get such feeling out. "I shouldn't feel that. My emotions are dangerous enough as it is," she thought. She sighed, retrieved her bookmark, and got back to her room before further incident. She once again sat on her bed, and began to read when the alarm went off. Raven grumbled, and made her way out.  
  
She arrived as Robin was punching up something in the computer. Why? Who knows, it never seemed to do much. And how the Hell he always manages to know what's going on by punching some random keys unnerved Raven at times.  
  
"We have trouble team!" Robin said.  
  
"Oh really?" Raven thought to herself.  
  
"There's some sort of disturbance downtown," he continued, "Let's go!"  
  
"Yes, lets fly blindly into a completely unknown situation against an unknown foe with no briefing. Pure genius." Raven thought as she flew alongside Starfire. "Damn prettygirl..."  
  
The team arrived downtown, at a small computer chip manufacturer. Several cars were strewn about, and the door had been blasted off its hinges. Amidst the wreckage, a young man stood. "There he is!" Robin yelled. "Attack!"  
  
Robin went to kick the young man, but he quickly swerved out of the way and threw Robin away. A gas mine erupted behind the young man, revealing his features. Raven gasped. A stranger, he was, but oddly familiar.  
  
He was tall, about 6'5" with short black hair. He wore a black leather vest with "No Hope" printed on the back and an ankh, black shirt, black leather pants with a scarab printed on the right leg, and metallic vambraces and shin guards. He slowly removed his glasses, revealing his eyes. They were black, with no pupils or irises. His glare left Raven stunned.  
  
"So, who are you supposed to be?" Robin asked.  
  
"Call me... Spurious. And you are Robin, Cyborg, Starfire, Beast Boy, and... Raven." Her name seemed to stick in his throat, as if it meant something to him that the others didn't.  
  
"Okay, now that introductions are out of the way, get him!" Robin ordered. Spurious produced a whip from his belt, using it to tear up the ground under Robin's feet. He, Cyborg and Beast Boy fell while Starfire launched an assault with her starbolts. He swiftly dodged each, and then used his whip to grab hold of her leg and throw her to the ground. Raven charged, but found herself frozen by his glare. He smiled, as Beast Boy in the form of a Gorilla grabbed him. He threw him off and into Cyborg, but the distraction was enough for Robin to disarm him.  
  
"Okay, Spurious. We have your whip, now surrender!" Robin ordered.  
  
"I don't think so. That whip is just an ordinary piece of leather, I have the real power!" Spurious's hand glowed green, and he fired an energy blast into the middle of the Titans.  
  
"That was one of Starfire's starbolts! How?" Cyborg asked.  
  
"Don't know, we'll ask when we've beaten him!" Robin went on the offensive, but his every move was matched by Spurious, until Spurious transformed into a rhinoceros and batted him away.  
  
Raven realized that, no matter how familiar he was, she had to take him down. "Azerath..." she began.  
  
"Azerath Metrion Zinthos!" Spurious yelled. Raven gasped as several girders wrapped around her. They weren't tight, but still prevented her from using her powers. Across the street, Spurious was wrapping up the rest of her teammates, except one.  
  
"Robin..." he muttered. He scanned the horizon, then a look of concern swept over his face. "Dawn... I have to get out of here!" He picked up a cowl from the ground and ran off, but Rabin grabbed his arm and stopped him. He fired a starbolt directly at him, and vanished into the shadows. The others started to free themselves as Robin picked up a small piece of metal that had fallen off Spurious's hand. A ring.  
  
***  
  
"Nothing!" Robin said. "Its almost as of this 'Spurious' doesn't exist!" he pounded the computer in frustration. You'd think there would be some record of a man with black eyes."  
  
"Did ya check the ring he dropped."  
  
"Yeah, nothing that indicated any sort of power source. Its just a normal, ordinary wedding band," Robin answered.  
  
"Dude, you mean someone married that guy? They sure must have been desperate!" Beast Boy added. Starfire moved in closer to inspect the ring.  
  
"There is an inscription on the inside of the ring!"  
  
Cyborg picked it up, and focused his eye. "To my dearly beloved Spurious," he read aloud, "Yours forever..." His eyes widened in shock.  
  
"What is it, dude?" Beast Boy looked in, and had a similar reaction. Robin and Starfire followed suit, with similar reactions.  
  
Raven took the ring, and looked closely at the inscription. "To my dearly beloved Spurious," he read aloud, "Yours forever..." her eyes widened as she said the last word, a name.  
  
"...Raven." 


	2. Answers

* Note from the author: Thanks for the compliment on the name, I think. Anyway, Most of my writing utilizes names with deeper meanings. Example, "spurious" means "Lacking authenticity or validity in essence or origin; not genuine; false" or "of illegitimate birth" I like to think of them as little Easter Eggs for my fans*  
  
Ch. 2: Answers  
  
"Whoa," Beast Boy said, effectively summing up everyone's response, "Raven is married?" Raven merely scowled at the ring in silence.  
  
"Another mystery," Robin said inspecting the ring, "also, how did he know who all of us were? And more importantly, how was he able to use our own abilities against us?"  
  
"Thinking about it, though," Cyborg said putting his hand on his chin, "he did take it easier on Raven than the rest of us." Raven growled to herself.  
  
"So, we're going to find this guy and get some answers. Raven, Starfire, Beast Boy, scan overhead, see if you can locate this guy. Cyborg, see if you can find anything on him, I'll check a few sources downtown."  
  
"Great idea," Raven thought, "as if we didn't get beat badly enough together, now he can pick us off one by one." Nonetheless, Raven did as Robin suggested, levitating above the city trying to find the young man, all the while clutching the ring. Day faded into night, with no sign of the stranger in sight. Raven was about ready to head home when a voice called out to her. She followed it to an abandoned building.  
  
"Hello, Raven," he said emerging from the shadows. He looked different this time. He wore black leather pants with a crimson scarf wrapped tightly around his lower jaw and over his shoulder, and his once short back hair had grown long and was pulled into a tail. His face was still pale and gaunt, yet rigid and handsome.  
  
"What are you doing here, Melchiah?"  
  
"I just wanted to see my wife. It was your friends who attacked me, isn't it?" he pointed out. "You acted as if you didn't know me. I was afraid you didn't recognize me."  
  
"I almost didn't, you were wearing one of your false forms, remember? This jogged my memory," she tossed the ring to Spurious, who caught it in midair and put it back on.  
  
"Don't you wear yours?" he asked. Raven reached under her costume, producing a ring kept on a long silver chain.  
  
"Of course I do. I might not be the sentimental type, but what we had was... special. I loved you, Melchiah. I still do. But things are different now. It didn't work then, how could it work now? I live here, with the Titans, you're the King of Midrashim, where I am not welcome."  
  
Spurious sighed. "That's why I'm here. Midrashim is no more. My entire world has been wiped out."  
  
"I see," Raven said, slightly surprised. "I'll take you to the Tower. Hopefully the other Titans will allow you to stay. I still haven't told them about you, yet." Raven led him to the tower, where they waited in the living room. Raven radioed the rest of the team. "This is Raven, come back to the tower. There's something I need to tell you all." Raven sat down and sighed nervously. Spurious rested his hand on Raven's.  
  
The other Titans arrived minutes later, and Raven stood before them. "Everyone, this is Melchiah. He... is my husband."  
  
Everybody's jaw dropped. Beast Boy said his usual "Whoa" while Robin took a more inquisitive stance.  
  
"You're awfully young to be married," he stated.  
  
Raven began to explain, but Melchiah cut her off. "I should do this," he said firmly. "My name is King Melchiah Spurious XIII of Midrashim. I met Raven three years ago, when she visited my world. At the time, I was in exile, my kingdom usurped by my uncle. With Raven's help, I was able to reclaim my kingdom. Shortly after, I took Raven as my Queen. It is quite common on my world to marry young, especially those of royal lineage."  
  
"Why are you here? If you're a king, then..."  
  
"I was a king. My world is gone. That is why I am here."  
  
"What happened?" Raven asked.  
  
"We were betrayed by a false god," he answered remorsefully. "You know of our deity, Raven, Malach Ra." He turned to face the other Titans. "Malach Ra was our chief deity, worshiped exclusively on Midrashim. We'd offer it the souls of the dead in tribute, in exchange for its blessing. But what we didn't know was that Malach Ra was a cancer to our world, feeding on us, weakening us. Eventually its minions started taking living victims. Raven tried to warn us, but I was the only one who listened. That is why she had to leave; the people of my world had branded her a heretic and threatened her life. It wasn't until later, when Malach Ra's feedings took on an epidemic proportion that the people of Midrashim took action. We organized a party of the finest warriors in Midrashim, and attacked."  
  
"I take it didn't go so well," Beast Boy said.  
  
"Of hundreds of warriors that came with me, only I survived. I retraced my wife's path through the realities to here. At first, my mission was to enlist your aid, but after I departed, I called home, and found this." He held out a small, holographic device, showing a dead world. "Although I am saddened from the loss of my homeworld, I am relieved that Malach Ra hasn't found this one, and that my wife is safe among friends."  
  
"How sad," Starfire said. She burst out crying.  
  
Melchiah looked at her cynically. "Is she always this sentimental?" he whispered to Raven.  
  
"I'm afraid so," she answered.  
  
Starfire abruptly stopped her sobbing, stretched out and yawned. "I'm tired."  
  
"It has been a long day. I suppose we should all get some rest. There's more I want to know about you, Spurious, but it can wait until tomorrow."  
  
"I'm gonna..." Beast Boy began until Cyborg grabbed his ear.  
  
"...go to bed," Cyborg whispered to him. "We're going to give Raven and her husband some privacy, got it?" They walked away, leaving Raven and Melchiah in silence.  
  
"That was rather sweet of you," Raven finally said, "but unnecessary. I can take care of myself."  
  
"I know," Melchiah responded, "but I missed you. I thought about you every day when you left." He stared deep into Raven's eyes.  
  
"I missed you too, Melchiah," she answered. "You were the only one I could ever connect to, the only one I could stay up all night talking to." Raven them did something she rarely did, she smiled. Slowly, she closed her eyes, and kissed him.  
  
...................Next: Melchiah tries to adapt to life on Earth. Plus, a Titans foe returns for revenge! 


	3. Return

Ch. 3: Return  
  
Beast Boy's eyes opened slowly, greeting the morning light that peered through his window. With a sudden burst of energy, he sprung from his bed, and to the floor below. He quickly dressed himself, and ran down the stair to meet Starfire and Cyborg for their favorite Saturday morning cartoons. He ran down the stairs, and met Cyborg in the hallway. They made it to the doorway to the living room, when Starfire's outstretched arm stopped them.  
  
"Hey, what's the big..." Beast Boy began.  
  
"Shhhhhhhh!" Starfire interrupted. She pointed to the couch, where Raven slept, propped against Melchiah's shoulder. She looked so peaceful, and for the first time anyone could remember, truly happy. He was still awake, stroking her violet hair and holding her close in his arm. He noticed the others in the doorway, and gently shook Raven.  
  
"Honey, wake up. You're friends wish to use the giant image cube." Raven suddenly shot up, realizing where she was. She finally stood and regained her composure.  
  
"I had better get changed," she said as she walked off. Melchiah looked down in disdain.  
  
"I am afraid I only have my battle garb," Melchiah sighed.  
  
"This is an occasion for the mall!" Starfire exclaimed. She grabbed Melchiah's arm and dragged him out, with Cyborg close behind, past Raven's door. "Raven! I am taking Melchiah to the mall so that he may purchase clothes!"  
  
"Okay," Raven affirmed.  
  
***  
  
"I am aware of my apparent ignorance of your world, but I do not believe this garb is fitting for the former king of Midrashim," Melchiah said as he stood before Starfire and Cyborg, wearing a pink Hawaiian shirt and green shorts.  
  
"You're right, I got just the thing!" Minutes later, Melchiah found himself clothed in a blue Fubu sweater, baggy jeans, and a baseball cap.  
  
"This isn't going well," he grumbled. They walked out after he had returned the clothes, and down the wall. He stopped in front of a clothing store, where he saw a violet Armani suit. It had a light purple undershirt with a dark violet vest and trousers. He placed his hand on the window. "It is the color of my beloved's hair," He said, "I must possess it!"  
  
Starfire objected. "But those clothes are far too expens..." Melchiah walked in the door, "...ive."  
  
"You, merchant!" Melchiah yelled. "How much for the violet garb behind the transparent wall?"  
  
The store assistant looked at him puzzled, and then replied, "That would be one thousand dollars, sir."  
  
Melchiah reached into a pouch attached to his belt, and pulled out several pieces of gold. "How many of gold pieces would be the equivalent of one thousand of your 'dollars'?"  
  
The assistant inspected one of the gold pieces, and his eyes widened. "Sir, I may not be an expert in coins, but this would easily be worth several thousand dollars!"  
  
"Then I shall purchase several of those garments, " Melchiah replied. "Which way to your fitting rooms?"  
  
The assistant looked on, stunned. "T-this way sir."  
  
An hour later, Cyborg, raven and Melchiah walked out of the store, Melchiah wearing the violet suit he had spotted, and carrying in boxes similar black and red suits, as well as matching sunglasses. "Man, looking sharp!" Cyborg commented. "Ya know every woman's crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man!"  
  
"You mean my new clothing will induce insanity in the female gender?"  
  
"No, it a figure of speech... never mind," The trio walked out.  
  
***  
  
Raven sat in her usual spot, reading. Things seemed quieter without Cyborg around, even Beast Boy seemed quieter than usual. Finally, the green- skinned hero said something. "So, you really like that guy, don't you?"  
  
"I wouldn't have married him if I didn't" she replied without even looking.  
  
"What is it about him?"  
  
"It's hard to explain," she began as she set her book down. "When we first met, I was stranded in a strange world, with no friends, sleeping in alleyways and basements. He saw me one day, and offered me shelter. With the all the battles we fought together, it just seemed... natural."  
  
"Man, it must have been tough with you two being so far apart."  
  
"Your talent for the obvious is amazing," she answered with a sigh. "Of course it was. I thought I had gotten over him, but now that he's back, I think I feel... happy." Suddenly, the alarm rang. Raven raced to the computer, and saw Starfire's visage.  
  
"Raven! We require assistance! My sister seems to have returned, and..."  
  
A loud explosion rocked the building near Starfire's position. She turned, barely avoiding a blast from Blackfire. She retaliated with several of her own, but Blackfire easily dodged and countered, sending Starfire sprawling.  
  
"Star!" Cyborg shouted as he leapt at Blackfire batted him away, and laughed.  
  
"Is that the best you got?" she taunted.  
  
"No," Spurious answered. He levitated in front of her, surrounded in an eerie, violet mist. "If you wish for a true fight, then you will due battle with the King of Midrashim!" Blackfire fired a blast, causing Spurious's image in the mist to dissolve, and reappear at her side. She fired several more, with the same result. All the while, the mist seemed to grow, and soon she found herself assailed by her own blasts.  
  
"What is this?" she yelled.  
  
"This is the Mists of Midrashim, that are mine to command!" The mists began to coalesce in some places, forming monstrous demons. Instinct told Blackfire that she was no match for Spurious. She searched in frenzy for her sister, and fired one blast with as much force as she could. Spurious took notice.  
  
"Lady Starfire!" he shouted, but she was still groggy. Without a second thought, he placed himself in front of the blast. As he fell, Starfire came to, but all she could do was watch as he disappeared behind a building. Seconds later, a sickening thud filled her and Cyborg's ears.  
  
Her voice rang out in the daytime air. "Melchiiiiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!"  
  
.........Next: The battle against Blackfire rages on! 


	4. Origin

Ch. 3: Origin  
  
Raven, Robin, and Beast Boy arrived to a grim visage. Cyborg was unconscious and Starfire in pretty bad shape. Spurious was nowhere to be found. Blackfire's laughter filled the area. "Raven, go tend to Starfire and Cyborg. Beast Boy, let's take her down."  
  
Raven flew to Starfire's position. She was propped against a wall, clutching her arm. The wall was cracked, indicating she had been thrown at a great velocity. She became hysterical at Raven's sight. "Raven, I'm so sorry!" she whimpered as tears filled her eyes.  
  
"Sorry about what?"  
  
"Your husband, he was fighting Blackfire, and she fired at me, and...."  
  
"Starfire, calm down. What happened?"  
  
"He threw himself between me and the blast, and he fell! All the way down! I heard him hit the ground. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." She began to sob.  
  
"Fell all the way down where?"  
  
"From above the building to the street. I'm so sorry, Raven, please forgive me," she pleaded.  
  
"Don't worry about it, we have bigger problems."  
  
"How can you be so callous? Your husband is most certainly dead!"  
  
"Like I said," Raven shot back, "don't worry about it." With that, she entered the fray. Still clenching her arm, Starfire did the same, as did Cyborg. One by one, Blackfire repelled them, laughing all the while.  
  
"This is not working!" Robin exclaimed. "We don't have the raw power to take her down. Where is Spurious?"  
  
"Fell off a building," Raven replied before attacking once again. Everyone looked surprised at her lack of concern for her husband.  
  
Blackfire laughed. "As clichéd as it may sound," she taunted, "revenge is mine! Dear sister will be last to go, but who should have the honor of going first? How about you, Raven?" Raven betrayed no emotion as Blackfire advanced, she merely pointed behind Blackfire where the violet mists began to swirl, marking Spurious's arrival. Sensing something behind her, Blackfire turned around, finding her throat in Spurious's grasp.  
  
"You can threaten me, you can shoot at me, you can throw me off a building. But no one, and I mean NO ONE threatens my wife!" Spurious yelled as he lifted her high into the air. The other Titans advanced, but shirked back as the mists swirled intensely around him, obscuring their vision. Unearthly squeals and howls filled the air, accompanied by Blackfire's screams of terror. It sounded as if her soul had been painfully wrenched from her body and her flesh burned alive. Starfire begged for mercy, until after what seemed an eternity, in truth only seconds, the mists receded and Spurious tossed Blackfire aside. Starfire rushed to her sister's side, and gasped at what she saw. Her usually calm and brave demeanor was twisted and contorted in a look of pure, absolute terror.  
  
"What have you done to her?" Starfire asked.  
  
"Do not worry, she will be fine in a few days," Spurious replied. "Either that, or incurably insane, depends on how tough she is."  
  
Robin stared down Spurious. "We're going back to the tower. And you're giving us some answers."  
  
***  
  
"Okay, Melchiah, spill it. Just what are you?"  
  
Melchiah sighed, and glanced at Raven. She nodded. "If you wanted to know, you could have just asked." He reached in his pouch and procured a small orb. "This is a memory crystal. The only possession I have left. It's recorded all of Midrashim history. Anything you wish to know, it will tell. He looked at the orb, and said words that were alien to all those gathered, exception being Raven.  
  
"Are you sure?" Raven asked.  
  
"Yes, They should know who is sharing their roof." The orb began to glow as Melchiah told them the secrets of his kind. "When a Midrashi is born, it is an occasion of both great joy and of hardship. We are born weak, unable to move. It is hard enough to think, our bodies are wracked with such great pain." The orb showed the image of a thin, young man wrapped in bandages. "For fifteen of your years we are condemned to such torments. Then, a metamorphoses of horrific proportions takes place, a process we call 'The Rebirth'." The orb then showed the bandaged man being drug to a large pit. "My world had long been infested with demons. While stronger and more resilient, the demon's minds were relatively weak. It is such that we developed a symbiotic relationship." The others threw the bandaged man into the pit. "When we are old enough to contain the power, we are cast into the pits that the demons infest. We are then devoured."  
  
"EEEEEEEEW!" Starfire screamed as she averted her eyes.  
  
"The demons eat our bodies, but our minds are strong enough to dominate the demons' bodies. Soon after, a recombinant evolution occurs as the demons all unify under a single mind. The strongest traits of each are chosen, and molded into a more presentable form. How strong a Midrashi is depends on how many demons devour him when he is reborn. The weakest among us may contain only a few demons, while others, such as Clan Leaders, may be comprised of hundreds of thousands. The Mists are made up of the 'leftovers' if you will, parts of demons that were rejected during the recombinant evolution. It allows each Midrashi different abilities, such as my own ability to mimic the powers of others, as well as uniform abilities such as summoning demons, in addition to being toxic in its own right. "  
  
"Pretty versatile stuff," Beast Boy muttered.  
  
"That,' Cyborg said in disbelief, "is just weird. You mean to say your body is made up of a few THOUSAND demons?"  
  
"Yes. It is the tradition of our people, starting back with our ancestor, Invictus Ira. "  
  
"Great,' Robin said coldly as he walked off. "We need to talk about this. Titans, lets go." Beast Boy and Cyborg followed, then reluctantly by Starfire.  
  
"I fear from Robin's tone that I am not welcome here," Melchiah stated.  
  
"I don't care, I almost lost you once, I'm not going to let it happen again," Raven said. "If they make you leave, I'll be right there with you."  
  
.................Next: The Titans divided! 


	5. Enemy

Ch. 4: Enemy  
  
"Simply put," Robin said, "I don't trust him. But this is a team decision." He looked at Raven.  
  
"So you even need to ask?" she said. His glare turned to Starfire.  
  
"I don't know what he did to my sister, and I fear for her safety, but I believe he is inherently good. I vote we give him a chance." He looked at Cyborg.  
  
"He did save us from Blackfire, he can't be all bad. I think we should let him stay, he might be helpful." Robin then looked at Beast Boy.  
  
"Well, I think he's kinda creepy. And he is sorta a demon, but..." Beast Boy's gaze turned to Raven. "...Raven really does seem to love him, so he can't be all bad."  
  
Robin grunted. "Alright." Robin walked off, and the other Titans walked into the living room. Robin made his way to the balcony, where he spotted Spurious looking over the city.  
  
"You don't trust me, do you Robin?" he asked.  
  
"Not at all."  
  
Spurious chuckled. "Had I wanted to harm you, I would have done so already. I assure you, all I want is to be with my wife." He closed his eyes in contemplation. "I see the way you look at Starfire, though she might not. Imagine one day, having to make a choice. On one hand, you can keep her with you, buy know that her life will soon end at the hands of an entire population opposed to your union. But on the other hand, you can send her away, knowing you may never see her again, but she will be safe."  
  
"I imagine it must have been difficult." Robin said as he walked away. "We're letting you stay, but I'm keeping an eye on you." Spurious merely grinned. He continued his contemplation until Starfire joined him.  
  
"Allow me to apologize for Robin's..."  
  
"Don't. It is not your duty to make excuses for him."  
  
"But I am not..." Starfire said.  
  
"Yes you are. Robin doesn't trust me I understand that. Though from the way he treats the rest of you, one has to wonder if he trusts any of you." Starfire fell silent, as memories of the recent past flooded her mind. "I'm sorry, I did not mean to upset you."  
  
"No... you didn't... I mean... please excuse me..." Starfire walked away hurriedly, and Spurious chuckled. Raven walked out as Starfire ran past. "What was that about?" she asked. Spurious just looked blankly, and then shook his head, rubbing his forehead in the process.  
  
"W-What?"  
  
"Starfire just rushed by, obviously distressed."  
  
"I don't have any idea. I must have blacked out..."  
  
"I guess it's not important," she said wrapping her arms around Spurious. They stood there, silent, until an alarm disturbed them. They raced to the main room, where Robin and the other Titans were already assembled.  
  
"Someone's causing trouble downtown. Raven, I want you to keep an eye on Spurious, he's your responsibility."  
  
"Whatever," Raven replied. Starfire growled.  
  
"What's the matter?" Robin asked.  
  
"Spurious was right, you don't trust him, and you don't trust any of us!"  
  
"What? Look, this isn't the time; we have a job to do! Starfire, you and spurious stay here until we get this sorted out." The other Titans left, leaving behind Starfire and Spurious.  
  
"I told you that?" he asked.  
  
"Yes! Do you not remember, it was mere minutes ago!" she replied.  
  
"No, I don't..."  
  
***  
  
The Titans arrived to a scene of utter devastation. Cars where upturned, the pavement was shattered and strewn about, and people where fleeing in terror. In the midst of the chaos, a figure in loose white clothes stood. His features were strikingly similar to Spurious's, except his hair was white and his frame more slender. He chuckled as the Titans stood off to him. "Okay then," Robin said, "just who are you supposed to be?"  
  
"Call me Invictus," he said in a calm voice that betrayed the evil in his heart. Without another word, he grabbed a whip at his side and flung it at the Titans, tearing the pavement up along its path. The Titans scattered, a tried to launch a counter attack. Robin took the right and Cyborg to the left, only to be swatted aside. Raven suffered a similar fate in the air with Invictus's whip, while Beast Boy turned into a Tyrannosaur and charged. The stranger took to the air, above Beast Boy, and slammed his whip on the Tyrannosaur's snout, knocking it to the ground and Beast Boy reverted to human.  
  
"Uh, this is not working," Beast Boy groaned as he picked himself off the ground.  
  
"No, really?" Raven shot back.  
  
"Alright team, all together now..." Before he could finish his order, Invictus attacked, sending the Titans scattering again. Robin let loose several small explosives. Invictus merely glared at them, and a red mist rose and enveloped them, rendering them inert. Robin was noticeably shaken as they hit the ground, and Raven flew up to him.  
  
"So, you're a Midrashi?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, my Queen Raven, I am" Invictus answered. Raven's eyes widened as if she had been hit with a sudden realization. With a swipe of his hand the red mist knocked Raven back, into the waiting arms of Spurious.  
  
"I thought I told you..." Robin began.  
  
"Stay back!" Spurious yelled. He then looked up, and locked eyes with Invictus as he descended. The stranger smirked. "I didn't think you had survived."  
  
"Apparently, my master takes care of his servants, just as your luck takes care of you," the stranger replied. The other Titans looked on as the tension mounted. Red mist and violet swarmed as the two stared each other down. "You wish to fight me? You know the only reason I didn't rule Midrashim is that I perused a higher calling! I was named for a God, so thus I served!"  
  
Meanwhile, Beast Boy rejoined Raven and the others. "So, who is this dweeb?" he asked.  
  
"Invictus Spurious," she answered, "Melchiah's older brother." 


	6. Advent

Chapter 6: Advent  
  
"So, little brother, this is the world you've chosen to reside? I must say, it doesn't look like much." Invictus smirked. "And these beings? Such short- lived weaklings?"  
  
"Shut up, Invictus," Spurious said as he lunged at his brother. With a wave of his hand, Invictus summoned a strong gust that threw Spurious to the ground.  
  
"Now dear brother, had I wished to harm you, you would already be dead. I have nothing to gain in your destruction."  
  
"Then why are you here?"  
  
"To offer a warning. Our sister is coming."  
  
"Sister? You can't mean..." Spurious replied with worried eyes.  
  
"Her arrival is imminent, dear brother. Be prepared. I will seek you out when she breaches the portal, tomorrow at the midday hour." Invictus gracefully floated away, leaving a wide-eyed Spurious in shock as the other Titans approached.  
  
"We can't let him get away!" Robin yelled, "after him."  
  
"Hold," Spurious said barring Robin's path. "We have much bigger things to worry about."  
  
***  
  
The Titans regrouped back at the tower, once again with Spurious being the storyteller. "My mother," he said, "gave birth the three children. The first was my brother, Invictus. The second was I, Melchiah. The third was our sister, Lisseth. But Lisseth was born 'normal' not in the emaciated, fragile state the rest of us were. Furthermore, when she underwent the Rebirth, the demons fled from her. My people took this as a sign, made her a deity." Spurious sighed deeply. "She became the destroyer of my world, Malach-Ra. And if my brother is to be believed, she is on her way here."  
  
"Okay, if you and your brother are on the same side, as in keeping your sister away from the buffet table, then why you so hostile?" Cyborg asked.  
  
"We had a rather bad parting. After the Rebirth, he claimed to have received a vision from our Ancestor, for which he was named. He left our home and became a priest. When my uncle usurped the throne, I called on him to help, which he refused. But that's not what's important right now."  
  
"No, its not. We need to know exactly what we're up against here," Robin replied.  
  
"A near omnipotent being with a limitless supply of undead warriors," Spurious said.  
  
"I like the odds," Robin replied. "We need a strategy."  
  
"Maybe we can call in some reinforcements. Like the Justice League or something," Beast Boy suggested.  
  
"Can't," Robin answered, "they're off-world right now."  
  
"I know one way," Spurious said. "Do you have anything that I could use as a forge?"  
  
"The basement furnace," Cyborg answered.  
  
"Good. I'll be down there."  
  
"Geez," Beast Boy said, "He's got the mysterious loner gig down almost as good as you."  
  
The rest of the day went by uneventfully. Beast Boy and Cyborg played video games, with Beast Boy often on the losing end. Robin prepared himself through meditation and training, while Starfire kept herself amused by watching Beast Boy and Cyborg. After hours of waiting, Raven grew worried and made her way to the basement. The opened the door to find it transformed into a makeshift forge. Near the furnace itself, Spurious hammered a long, thin piece of metal with all his strength. The clash of the hammer on metal was deafening. Finally, Spurious noticed his wife, put down the hammer, took off his goggles, and approached.  
  
"Is that what you're going to use to defeat your sister?" she asked.  
  
"I brought a store of Midrashim Steel for such an occasion. I forged this in the tradition of the great kings of Midrashim. Forged in a fire fueled by my own flesh, cooled in my own blood, and fed by my desire and force of will. I pry it will be enough."  
  
"That's pretty elaborate," Raven said examining the sword.  
  
"It has to be, you know how hard it is to kill a Midrashi. Yet Malach-Ra did it with little effort..."  
  
"Don't be like that. You need to be strong," Raven said.  
  
"I know, but she wiped out my whole world, Raven. How much good can we do?"  
  
Raven kissed him, and then slowly pulled away. "You need to figure that out for yourself." She walked up the stairs, and shut the door. She walked upstairs and to her room, were she picked up a book and started reading.  
  
"Good words of wisdom, Raven, but what if he's right? I was with the Midrashi for a short time, but even I could see what powerful warriors they were. Physical damage meant nothing to them; any body part could be regenerated, and their discipline was flawless. If an entire race couldn't beat this thing, can we?"  
  
She sighed, and resumed her reading, but for some reason, she couldn't calm her nerves. She got up, and walked to the kitchen. Beast Boy and Cyborg were still engaged in their video games, with Starfire cheering on both.  
  
"How can they stay so calm in the face of such a crisis?" she thought. She prepared her tea, and returned to her room. She sat on her bed with her book, and tried to relax, but still to no avail. Just then, she felt a strong, warm pair of arms wrap tightly around her body. She sighed heavily, and melted into his arms.  
  
"If this is our last night together, I want to spend it with you," Spurious said kissing Raven on her neck. She smiled.  
  
"I'm sure this won't be. We'll find a way."  
  
"This optimism is so unlike you," he said.  
  
"I've never faced an Apocalypse before. I guess I have to stay optimistic, otherwise... " Raven replied. "I don't want to talk anymore. Just hold me..."  
  
......................To be continued! 


	7. Destiny

Ch. 7: Destiny  
  
Raven woke slowly, looking around the darkened room. Spurious was gone. She shivered as she put on her clothes. Something was wrong, years of training told her to trust her instincts. But what? Maybe she'd find out outside.  
  
"Hey, Raven it's about time you woke up!" Beast Boy yelled. The other Titans stood at the window. She walked over, and peered outside at a startling sight.  
  
The sky was glowing red, as dark clouds swirled overhead. Lightning arced from cloud to building and back again. Thunder roared through her ears as demonic images flashed in the skies above.  
  
"She's breaching the dimensional barrier, attempting to manifest here" Spurious explained. "The demons, souls she's taken, are spilling through in front of their master."  
  
"How long until she's through?" Starfire asked.  
  
"My brother said the midday hour. We have three hours until then."  
  
"Then why are we waiting here?" Robin yelled. "We should be trying to stop her!"  
  
"There is nothing we can do." Spurious sighed. "If we approached the gateway, we'd be sucked inside and lost in Limbo forever. We have to wait."  
  
"Man, this is crazy!" Cyborg said. "My sensors aren't reading what my eyes are seeing."  
  
"That's because this transcends science," Raven said. "We're witnessing the fabric that keeps our reality together torn open."  
  
As if on cue, Invictus floated down. "Greetings, brother. I take it you and your allies are prepared for the coming battle?"  
  
"Yes, we are." Spurious answered.  
  
"Good, for our sister is passing through the barrier far faster than I anticipated. The fight is upon us. You know what we must do, brother."  
  
"Yes," Spurious said with iron determination. He turned to face the Titans. "When we get there, there's going to be a lot of demons causing trouble. You need to take them out, protect the people. Invictus and I will engage our sister."  
  
"Understood. After the demons are taken out, we'll help any way we can," Robin answered. "Titan's lets move!"  
  
Robin lead his team from the tower, Spurious and Invictus hanging back. A grin spread across both their faces.  
  
"At last," Invictus said.  
  
"It all comes together," Spurious finished.  
  
The Titans approached the center of town, above which the portal swirled. Demons ran amok, terrorizing the citizens. The Titans quickly got to work. Beast Boy, Robin, and Cyborg held off the demons while Starfire and Raven worked to get the people to shelter. Above them, Invictus and Spurious awaited the arrival. They didn't wait long.  
  
The ground erupted beneath their feet, a single red beam clearing the clouds in the sky. The sun returned as the beam formed. A faint, humanoid figure at first, then defining features coalesced. A feminine frame manifested, followed by long black hair, facial features, and finally, the robes that adorned her. She stepped forward. The two brothers and the sister formed a perfect triangle. Spurious stepped forward, planting the sword in the ground.  
  
"What's going on?" Robin asked as a beam of light joined the trinity. The beam emitted from the sword, into the heart of those assembled. They stretched their arms out to the sky, then brought them down to their chest.  
  
"Be careful..." Raven said quietly.  
  
"Finally we rejoin." Malach-Ra said.  
  
"Finally, we become one" Invictus said.  
  
"Finally, the parts are whole" Spurious said.  
  
"We have to do something!" Robin yelled. "Spurious stabbed us in the back! Raven, move or..."  
  
"...you'll ruin everything. Trust me," she replied.  
  
"Invictis, Melchiah, Malach-Ra. Three parts of the whole..."  
  
"... three beats of the drum..."  
  
"...three destinies intertwined..."  
  
"Raven, I know he's your husband and all, but we can't sit by and let him..."  
  
"Yes, we can. And we will. If we interfere now, there will be nothing that can stop Malach-Ra. Trust me."  
  
"Alright, Raven. But you better be right."  
  
The Titans looked on as the demons that made up Invictus divided, turning the once handsome man into a jumbled mess of worm-like demons that gracefully danced in the air. "Soul Serpents..." Spurious said. "Just what I had hoped on." He smiled, and then shot a glance straight at his sister. "Starfire, NOW!"  
  
At his command, Starfire released a starbolt straight at Spurious's sword. It shattered, causing the glow to fade. Spurious held out his arms in a crucifix pattern. The Soul Serpants floated around him, then burrowed into his flesh. A bright light shone from within as he floated above.  
  
"Malach-Ra is telepathic, as is Invictus. He temporarily controlled Spurious's mind, and had him tell Starfire about Malach-Ra's arrival," Raven explained. "Melchiah explained this to me last night. He isn't strong enough to mask all of us, that's why I couldn't tell you before."  
  
"Okay, so what exactly is going on, then?"  
  
"Melchiah's brother is made up of a special kind of demon called the Soul Serpent. It allows its host to use the powers and abilities of any soul near him. Melchiah has one as well, but its not enough to copy the power of Malach-Ra."  
  
"So what your saying is now Spurious can copy Malach-Ra's power?"  
  
"Added to his own, and that of Invictus." Raven looked to the sky. "Now we will see a battle between Gods." 


End file.
